Houston, TX January 10, 2013 –
D. Miller & Associates, PLLC urges anyone that has had GranuFlo or NaturaLyte dialysis treatment and suffered a heart attack or cardiac injury to call immediately for information on possible compensation from the GranuFlo and NaturaLyte manufacturer, Fresenius Medical Care. The number of lawsuits being filed against Fresenius continues to grow as more and more people become aware of the link between these dialysis products and cardiac injury.
Hemodialysis is the most common method used to treat advanced kidney failure. Hemodialysis works by using a filter that allows your blood to flow through a few ounces at a time, to remove harmful wastes as well as extra salt and fluids. This helps to control blood pressure and keep the proper balance of chemicals in your body. Most patients receive hemodialysis treatment at a dialysis facility three times a week on a fixed schedule; however, there is also the option of daily hemodialysis or nocturnal hemodialysis.
What are GranuFlo and Naturalyte?
GranuFlo and NaturaLyte are additives used in hemodialysis to counteract the rising acidity levels. If not used in the proper dosage, these additives can result in grossly elevated levels of bicarbonate. This leads to a pH imbalance that can ultimately interfere with bodily functions and cause heart attacks and even death. The FDA has since issued a Class I recall, it’s most urgent type of recall, for these products.
Fresenius Medical Care liable for failure to warn
Fresenius Medical Care is one of the largest operators of kidney dialysis clinics in the United States with around 166,000 patients being treated in their facilities. In November 2011, an FDA investigation uncovered that Fresenius had issued a memo warning doctors of the risk for serious side effects when using GranuFlo and NaturaLyte and to adjust their dosage accordingly. However, this memo was only sent to facilities that were within its own network of Fresenius clinics. The thousands of other clinics that were using these products were not notified of the problem until March 2012. The FDA is currently continuing an investigation to see if Fresenius’ failure to issue an earlier warning violates federal law.
Fresenius Medical Care’s failure to warn dialysis clinics, physicians, and patients about the health risks associated with the use of these products led to a large number of preventable heart attacks and other health problems. There were 941 reported incidents of cardiac arrest among GranuFlo patients in Fresenius clinics in 2010 alone. If you or someone you know was receiving dialysis treatment and suffered from a heart attack or other cardiac injury, contact D. Miller & Associates immediately for your free case evaluation.